


College Germs

by lilnaugrim



Series: College [8]
Category: The Avengers - All Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M, Sickness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-16
Updated: 2012-09-16
Packaged: 2017-11-14 08:15:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/513176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lilnaugrim/pseuds/lilnaugrim
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve gets sick and Tony researches how to take care of him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	College Germs

                Tony woke up on his own Friday morning and stretched out feeling like he had a hangover but then he remembered it was just a good fucking from his boyfriend last night. Tony smiled to himself and took a deep breath of morning air and went to turn but a bulky mass was preventing him from doing so.

  "Steve?" Tony asked, his voice almost an octave lower in the morning. He cleared his throat and rolled to look at the bare back of his boyfriend. "Steve? Why are you still here? Did you oversleep?" Tony grinned at the thought he wore the poor boy out last night. His grin faltered when Steve breathed in and wheezed and then coughed. Tony could feel the bronchial vibrations through Steve's body and quickly sat up to lean himself over Steve to see if he was awake.

  "Morning," Steve whispered, afraid to use his voice in fear of coughing again.

  "You don't look good, are you feeling okay? I mean, obviously not but—" Tony looked down in worry, Steve never got sick so why start now? He pulled his knees up so he was facing the wall and sitting at the small of Steve's back, still leaning over him.

  "Don't know, woke up and was sick," Steve whispered and finally opened his unfocused eyes. He coughed again into his elbow and groaned. Tony began running his hand through Steve's blonde hair.

  "Anything I can do for you? Soup or anything? That's what you eat when you're sick right? God I don't even know…I've never been sick like this before, just hangovers," Tony babbled and Steve just gave a weak smile.

  "I used to get sick all the time," he coughed forcefully again, "but I haven't since senior year of," another cough, "high school."

  "I don't think talking his going to help you so just shush for now," Tony said as he leaned to the nightstand to get his phone and look up what to do when someone is sick. "You should probably go to health services, I'm sure they could give you medication or something," Tony grimaced at his own words, he hated health services with a passion and he would never find himself there.

  "Don't have insurance," Steve sighed.

  "How the hell did you get into college then? The school never lets people in without some sort of insurance, especially if it isn't theirs," Tony questioned and Steve just smirked.

  "Got around the system," he replied quietly and Tony just laughed.

  "Oh you surprise me sometimes Steve Rogers," Tony smiled and Steve huffed quietly as Tony searched the web. "Are you hungry at all?" He asked looking back to Steve who had shut his eyes again.

  "Yeah but I don't think I can hold anything down," Steve said.

  "Well it says here that you shouldn't eat anything solid. No meat or dairy products or fried food. Fuck this is like everything I can make!" Tony growled in frustration and Steve tried not to laugh so hard.

  "It's okay Tony; I can get up and get something on my own—"

  "No, I will not allow that, you will not move from this bed unless you have to use the bathroom, understand me?" Tony tried to sound as firm as he could. Steve couldn't help the smile and opened his eyes again to look at Tony who was staring down at him.

  "Sir, yes sir," Steve replied quietly and Tony smiled back.

  "Good, okay let's see, do you have a fever?" Tony asked and Steve shrugged.

  "I just feel like crap but I think I'm warm, I can't tell," Steve told him and Tony looked up how to check for a fever since he had never done it before. He looked at the websites and then to Steve who had closed his eyes again and was breathing evenly with a slight wheeze. Tony placed his hand on Steve's forehead, it literally felt like fire to him so he took it away and noted the blush in Steve's cheeks, he was sure that he hadn't done it to him so it must have been the fever.

  "It says you should be drinking lots of water and a cool bath will help with the fever," Tony told him and Steve nodded. "So which do you want to do first, eat and drink something or take a bath?" Tony asked.

  "Bath first," Steve said allowing Tony to do whatever he wanted. Steve was feeling weak and didn't know if he could actually stand up or anything at that point but he was ever grateful for Tony and his internet. He found it increasingly adorable that Tony was helping even though he apparently knew nothing about being sick besides hangovers.

                Steve lowered himself into the cool water in the bath tub that Tony had prepared for him and sank in up to his neck. Unfortunately because of his size his knees stuck out, but he didn't mind so much anymore. Tony knelt at the tub side with his arms leaning on the lip of the tub; his head laying on his arms as he watched Steve.

  "Is it okay? Not too cold?" Tony asked and Steve smiled.

  "I'd kiss you if I weren't sick," Steve leaned his cheek against the lip as he looked at his boyfriend. "How did I end up so lucky?" he mused and Tony laughed.

  "You the lucky one? I don't think so, I'm the lucky one in this relationship," Tony grinned as he scooted closer to the tub and reached to play with Steve's hair. Steve smiled again and closed his eyes to relax. Tony dipped his other hand in the water and let it roll off onto Steve's cheeks in an attempt to cool him down.

  "If you get a face cloth and run it under cold water I can fold it up and put it on my forehead," Steve suggested and Tony nodded. He got up and went into the cupboard, retrieved a cloth and ran it under the sink. He rung it out and folded it so it made a long strip and went back to Steve. Steve lifted a wet hand up to retrieve the cloth and leaned his head back while he placed it on his forehead. He sighed with content as Tony resumed his earlier position.

  "We could be having amazingly kinky bath sex right now," Tony smirked and Steve opened and eye to look at him.

  "You want to send me back into asthma again?" Steve replied but it was gently and humorous.

  "No, but just think about it. When you're better again we need to have kinky bath sex," Tony grinned and Steve chuckled.

  "When I get better, sure," Steve closed his eye again and tried to relax and do a little meditation in hopes to bring down his temperature.

  "Want me to make you some soup? At least if I'm not sitting here I can't bother you," Tony recognized the slight look of frustration on Steve's face when he spoke.

  "Sure, why not, probably help my raw throat," Steve whispered and Tony nodded.

  "The website said a teaspoon of honey would help," Tony said and Steve nodded. "Okay, I'll shut up now!" he said and kissed Steve's hot cheek before he stood up to leave him alone.

                Tony entered the kitchen and looked around in the cupboards, he finally found a can of Progresso soup; it was just chicken broth which would be good he figured. He actually read the directions because he didn't want to screw this up for Steve and make him even worse.

  "Okay, open and pour in a pot and let it come to a boil. Okay this is easy, I can do this," Tony nodded to himself and opened up the can after finding a small pot to put it into. He let the liquid fall out into the pot and set the burner on. Now he just had to wait for the soup to boil. He leaned against the counter and folded his arms.

                Tony looked outside for the first time and noticed the storm outside; it was one of those February storms where it couldn't decide whether it wanted to rain or snow. At the moment it was raining, cats and dogs so to say, pouring buckets. The sound of rain was muffled by the roof but it still pattered against the windows. Tony slowly came out of his daze when he heard the soup boiling next to him. He gave a little yelp and dove for the off switch when the soup was about the boil over the top. He lifted the pot off the burner and it instantly simmered down again.

  "Soups done," Tony called, not expecting a reply from his boyfriend. He took out a bowl and poured half the pot of soup into it, he figured Steve wasn't going to be eating much of it so he left the rest in the pot to sit until he wanted it. Tony put the bowl on the island counter and fished out a spoon and was about to go get Steve when he appeared in the kitchen. Tony grinned at the blue sweater clad art major as Steve padded over to the soup.

  "You look good in sweaters, you should wear those more often," Tony complimented and Steve just chuckled.

  "I thought you liked my tight shirts," Steve raised an eyebrow and Tony only grinned more.

  "Well of course I do but you just look so fucking adorable in sweaters," Tony said and went around the counter as Steve sat on the stood and began to slurp the soup up. Tony came up behind him and before Steve took another spoon full, wrapped his hand on Steve's forehead to feel the fever had gone down a bit. He released Steve and kissed his cheek as Steve smiled.

  "You know you'd make a good wife," Steve mused and Tony gave his best offended look.

  "You call me a wife one more time and you're not getting any sex for a week!" Tony moved to the side of Steve.

  "And who is that punishing, me or you?" Steve asked which earned him a growl from Tony. "Wife," Steve murmured and Tony halfheartedly punched Steve's shoulder.

  "Fine, I'm not helping you anymore. I'm going to go to class and you can get better on your own," Tony stuck out his tongue and went to walk around Steve. Steve shot his arms out, turning on his stool to hug Tony to him as the boy yelped. "Not fair! Not fair!" Tony cried out and Steve just laughed but ended up in a coughing fit. He let go of Tony and turned away from him so as not to get him sick either. Tony turned to rub at Steve's back in hopes to sooth him.

  "Sorry," Steve grimaced after he was done coughing and Tony gave him a worried look.

  "Don't be, it's not your fault. What am I going to do, yell at you for getting your germs all over me? I don't think I'd be in a relationship if I didn't want your germs," Tony said and Steve grinned. "Come here," Tony pulled Steve to his chest. Steve leaned against Tony and tried to even his breathing out again as Tony ran his fingers through his blonde hair and kiss the top of his head.

                A few minutes passed and Tony realized just how much Steve was leaning into him.

  "Steve?" Tony asked trying to bend his head to see if he was awake, "Steve?" he tried again, successfully waking him.

  "Huh? Oh sorry!" Steve got up and Tony instantly missed the weight of his boyfriend against him.

  "Finish the soup and then we can take a nap," Tony said and Steve nodded. He turned on the stool and began slurping the soup again, trying to be as quiet as he could with it. Tony went to the fridge and took out a bottle of water, took a swig and set it front of Steve for him to finish off. Tony waited by opening up Steve's email and sending an email to his professors telling them he had Bronchitis and was going to miss his classes today and get better over the weekend.

  "You don't have to nap with me if you don't want to," Steve said getting up to put his dish in the sink to be cleaned later.

  "I never said anything about having to, I want to," Tony took Steve's hand and led him back to their bedroom. With this new semester he had obviously offered Steve to move in with him rent free. Steve couldn't say no to those big blue eyes when it came down to it.

  "The website said you should get plenty of rest, so sleep," Tony commanded when they were snuggled together in bed. Steve smiled.

  "Sir, yes sir," he repeated and kissed Tony's nose which was in front of him. Tony ended up curled in Steve's hold, needing the warmth on this cold wintery day. Eventually both of them drifted into a deep sleep.

\--

                Clint ran in from the pouring rain, his jacket over his head as he entered the apartment building and took the elevator to his shared apartment with Tony and Steve. He shook his jacket off and hung it on the coat rack when he got inside and was about to yell to Tony that he was home but the smell of freshly boiled soup filled the air. He heard a bronchial cough and wondered if Tony was sick.

                Clint striped his soaked shoes and socks off and went into his room to find clothes that weren't soaked from the pouring rain. Once he was dry again he went down the hall and stopped at Tony's door that was still open. Normally he wouldn't snoop but he wanted to see who was sick so he could stay away from them. He entered into the room silently and stopped when Steve moved to cough into his elbow.

  "Aw man, you okay? Sounds rough," Clint voiced and Steve opened his eyes to look over his shoulder at Clint.

  "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Is it still raining out?" Steve asked as he squinted to look out the window.

  "Yeah shit's pouring like buckets, have you gone to health services yet?" Clint asked.

  "No, but if I'm still horrible tomorrow I'll go," Steve put his head back down on the pillow and closed his eyes.

  "Good, I'd rather not live in a house full of college germs; I can't get sick you know. Got a reputation to up hold," Clint smiled and Steve chuckled.

  "Alright," Steve said and Clint left, closing the door on his way out. Steve again fell into a dreamless sleep and slept for a good part of the day. Tony had gotten up around two to go to his class as he said he would, the rain had stopped by then anyway. When he came back Steve was still sleeping and Tony figured it was better he leave him alone and work on his dissertation.

                Steve slept through the night and in the morning woke with a clearer head although he still didn't feel well. He ended up going to health services just to humor Tony and Clint; they gave him medicine for his Bronchitis and he left with a doctor's note for his Friday classes.

                It wasn't long before Clint could rest easy again, Steve was finally feeling better and the cough had gone away with the help of Tony's careful care. Steve wanted to ingrain this into his memory forever; that time Tony took care of him when he was sick.


End file.
